While engaged in my hobby of bookstore browsing, a book of phrases caught my attention because it gave a humorous twist to biblical phrases. One phrase that evoked a chuckle was, “O ye of little faith,” with its definition: “Those who look both ways before crossing a one-way street.”

I’m sure that taking extra precautions in a dangerous world is not a bad idea. Yet some situations do not allow us to see all sides of a situation, even when some hidden views are God’s design for us. If you were allowed to see only the backside of an exquisite tapestry, it wouldn’t look very beautiful; you would see a hodgepodge of colored thread without anything to inspire artistic appreciation. It’s only when the tapestry is viewed from the front side, as intended, that the beauty of its delicate detail can be appreciated.

The Divine Weaver is in the process of making a gorgeous tapestry of the thread of your life. Every one of your acts of kindness, courtesy, humility, patience, or prayer is a thread woven into this splendid objet d’art. It can be seen and marveled at from heaven’s point of view--the front side. You will see it that way only later, however, when you cross the threshold of eternity. For now, your appreciation of the piece of work is simply a trusting belief that the Weaver is at work on something surprisingly magnificent.

This distortion of our present view of spiritual realities is perhaps simply part of God’s plan to make heaven’s “surprise party” more exciting. It is his way of testing our belief as we trust the Lord to keep a “score card”--“the Lamb’s book of life” (Rv 21:27)--recording everything we have done in life to further God’s glory by our acts of virtue. Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Your belief system must include a confident trust that he’s planning something beautiful to show you about yourself. Trust him to do this, as his holy Word promises, and get ready to enjoy eternally a magnificent work of art!

This excerpt is from the book Pathways of Trust, by John H. Hampsch,C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and tapes can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.

The Rev. John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., ordained as a Catholic priest in 1952, is a member of the Claretian Missionaries, and is founder and director of the Claretian Teaching Ministry. Listed in Who’s Who in Religion in America, he has served as parish priest, seminary professor and rector, college professor, lecturer, magazine writer, newspaper columnist, editor, retreat master, hospital chaplain, prison chaplain, campus chaplain, Cursillo director and director of suicide prevention programs in Texas and California.

He earned degrees in philosophy from Loyola-Marymount University in Los Angeles and from Notre Dame University, with postgraduate work at the University of Southern California and the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest, Illinois, in ascetical and mystical theology.